Yesterday on my travels I noticed more than usual number of bonnetted trucks (I think the americans call them conventional) units and while they all looked tidy and smart I started to wonder what the relative merits of each format is. Certainly didn’t look to have any more bunk space so if are chassis and engine different do they get used on particular work types?
Can’t imagine bonnetted trucks would be that practical on shop deliveries and those I saw yesterday had a variety of trailers, tanks x2, tipper x1 and 3x low loaders with plant on.
One advantage of a truck with a bonnet is quickly discovered if one is ever unfortunate enough to rear-end something. In a cab-over, there is not a lot between you and something in front 
Apart from the front end protection the main advantage years ago was the extra room available in the cab but that is not always true in these days of space cabs high enough to be over the engine. Best example I drove of this is the Magnum.
the longer wheel base gives a much better ride for highway driving, and you do actually have a fair bit more space inside, the only thing i dont like is the long gear stick, even more so inconvenient when its a road ranger, but thats coming from a bloke whos grown up with scanias, i love my cabovers but its fun when i get to take out the odd freightliner or kenworth
When manoeuvring give me a flat front anyday… 
the trouble with bonnets is they lose you length for the load !! means they’re only going to be used on short trailers! tippers, low loaders and some containers 
I like the conventionals now. I was leery to start with but not anymore. I start with my nice, shiny Volvo VN 770 next week. Twin sleeper, 72". bags of room and, because it is a manual, 2 cup holders!!
The main advantage of them is that, in theory, headroom is not an issue. They are more convenient to work on the engine and it doesn’t get so damned hot when you park up at night. They are a smoother ride, too. I can’t see me ever wanting to go to cabover again.
Bonneted are for show here in europe there useless work wise , they only work in the USA or canada and oz because they have the room ,long open roads etc , when i was on my Hols in the usa , i saw a bonneted KW with a tipper trailer on with 8 axles , can you imangine that over here ! i had a quick go at a MACK and it was a terrible drive , i think you cant beat cabovers
Who you on with now then BTD? Looks like you saw the writing on the wall at BFS, I’m not impressed with them one bit!
This was used for promotional work and for retiring drivers to use in their last week at work. Its a stunning truck to look at and is fully geared up for tipping tanks so is not just for show.
Click on Picture to enlarge
However the European bonneted trucks are ugly and ill conceived in my opinion. The Iveco is trying but still not on a par with a big yank
I love cabovers, but I think the bonnet is just the way the Americans do it due to the open roads.
Over here in the UK though, I’m sure they’re just status symbols.